At a glance

It can also be a worrying time for some mums-to-be, though, particularly if you have been told that your baby may come early or if you have a previous experience of delivering a premature baby. It's important to talk to your midwife if you're at all worried, and to keep an eye on anything unusual. Remember that any bleeding in pregancy or sign of early contractions should be reported to hospital straight away.We have helpful advice on premature labour here.

Caring for a premature baby

Parents are usually encouraged to undertake as much care as possible of their newborn, even if they can only handle their baby through the 'portholes' in the sides of the incubator. The physical contact between mum and baby has been proven to have great benefit and can calm and relax a premature infant. Mums who want to breastfeed are encouraged to express milk to feed to their babies.

You can get support from other mums in the Coffee house on our Premature & SCBU Babies forum for if you do find yourself going into labour now and having your baby early.

Diabetes in pregnancy

Gestational diabetes affects 3-12% of mums-to-be and usually happens in either the second or third trimester of pregnancy. It happens when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to meet the demands of pregnancy. The result is that you will have too much glucose in your blood, and this can have serious implications for your baby and you if left untreated. Often there are no symptoms, and the condition is picked up during a routine antenatal appointment via a urine test.

Diabetes in pregnancy is usually treated by diet alone, and a hospital dietitian will give you a sugar-free, low-fat diet to follow, which you must adhere to strictly. You'll also be asked to record your own blood-glucose levels three times a day, using a pen-style lancet to prick your finger and a hand-held blood-glucose monitor which will analyse your blood sample within seconds. Some women find they actually lose weight when gestational diabetes has been diagnosed because of the big change in eating habits. In these circumstances, your medical team will not be worried; in fact, if you were overweight in the first place they will be pleased, as long as the weight loss is within an acceptable range. You will probably find that you'll be able to carry the healthy eating over into your everyday life once your baby is born: being deprived of sweet, fatty foods can mean that you go off them over time, which is a great start to a new, healthy regime.

Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the birth, although in around 75% of cases women do go on to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. The good news is that, because you've had it in pregnancy, you and your doctors can be on the alert for signs of diabetes developing again, and act quickly to treat it if it does occur. The best way to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes is to stick as closely as possible to the same low-fat, sugar-free diet, to try to exercise as much as possible (thereby using up any excess glucose as energy) and to keep your weight within the ideal range for your height. If you are diagnosed, however, don't panic: as long as you keep up the same regime you should find that you can manage your blood-glucose levels well; this will, in turn, dramatically reduce your risk of developing complications later on.

Leaky boobs

It's worth getting yourself a supply of breast pads if you haven't got some already. Around now lots of mums-to-be find their breasts leaking colostrum (the first nutrient-rich substance that will eventually feed your baby in the first few days after birth) and the problem is often made worse by the sound of a crying baby or other emotional experiences. If your boobs are very leaky, keep plenty of pads in your bag and avoid wearing dark-coloured tops which will show up any leaks far more than light-coloured alternatives.

Your baby

He's about 30cm long from crown to heel

He weighs around 600g

He's considered 'viable' from this week

Your baby weighs around 600g now, and measures about 30cm long from crown to heel. From this week he's deemed capable of living outside the uterus, although there are no guarantees that he would survive if he were to be born this prematurely.